Together we can make Child-friendly Library snowballs that started with eight and ended in eight hundreds.
This is a shared dream being pursued jointly by the Indonesian Children’s Literacy Foundation (YLAI) and the Regional Government of East Lombok Regency. In 2025, the two parties initiated a significant collaboration through the Child-Friendly School Library program in eight elementary schools as a pilot project. The hope is that these eight schools will be the starting point of a long journey towards hundreds of schools having child-friendly libraries in the years to come.
This initial pilot school step is designed to ensure quality before expanding the reach. In the eight pilot schools, the program not only provides attractive and child-friendly library facilities but also equips teachers with the skills to manage the library and conduct reading activities. These eight pilot elementary schools will later serve as reference schools for other elementary schools.
From August 12 to 16, 2025, the eight public elementary partner schools officially opened their libraries. This opening symbolizes the beginning of a new chapter for these schools, with the hope that the libraries can become centers for developing a culture of literacy and places where children can explore the world through books. The series of inauguration events included library tours, reading activity demonstrations by resource teachers, and interactive dialogues between the schools and parents.
The schools that have inaugurated the Child-Friendly School Library program include SDN 3 Kembang Sari in Selong subdistrict, SDN 1 Sukamulia and SDN 2 Sukamulia Timur in Sukamulia subdistrict, SDN 3 Pengkelak Mas and SDN 1 Rensing Bat in West Sakra subdistrict, SDN 2 Kalijaga in Aikmel subdistrict, and SDN 2 Geres and SDN 4 Labuhan Haji in Labuhan Haji subdistrict.
The opening of libraries in these eight pilot schools is in line with the region’s mission to advance their culture of literacy. East Lombok has a long-term vision to ensure every child has equal access to quality reading materials, enabling them to grow into a smart, creative, and competitive generation. Through the full support of the government, the plan to expand the program to hundreds of elementary schools is expected to proceed in stages, while maintaining the quality standards established from the beginning in these eight pilot schools.
YLAI, which has experience in developing child-friendly libraries in various regions across Indonesia, will continue to be a strategic partner in this program. The synergy between the local government, schools, and YLAI is expected to create a sustainable literacy ecosystem. With strong determination and solid cooperation, East Lombok is now on the right track to realize its big dream: to have all its elementary schools equipped with truly child-friendly libraries. This journey may begin with eight schools, but its goal is much greater — to shape a generation of lifelong readers and learners.
The Child-Friendly School Library program in East Lombok is made possible by the full support of Room to Read. Through Room to Read’s contribution, partner schools receive proper library facilities, quality book collections, and guidance from YLAI to ensure the optimal use of the child-friendly libraries. This support serves as a strong foundation for the program’s success on a larger scale.
Salam literacy! (AL)